Warriors Enter All-Star Break Fittingly — Disappointed but Hopeful

If LeBron James misses that ridiculous step-back 3-pointer over Andre Iguodala, the Warriors go into the All-Star Break 11 games over .500 and sixth in the Western Conference. But he didn’t, so they’re nine games over and eighth.

It’s a fitting way to conclude the proverbial first half of the season. Golden State is oooh so close from being in the thick of things, yet set dangerously close from missing out on the postseason. The Western Conference is turning out to be every bit as treacherous as predicted, if not more. At the current rate, the eight seed will have 48 wins. Golden State was the No. 6 seed last year with 47.

I still think Golden State will make the playoffs. If they finish 19-10 the rest of the way, they’ll finish 50-32, which should be enough. But, no question, that expectation is hardly a guarantee. The West is arguably better than we thought and the Warriors are arguably not as good as we thought. It’s disappointing for those who already requested vacation time for the championship parade in June, but its the sobering reality of becoming a legit contender in the NBA. You’ve got to learn how to get to the top. You don’t just get there. Just ask those who are up there.

The Warriors have to figure out what it takes. Winning is not part of this franchise’s DNA, and it’s been evident as Golden State limped to the All-Star break. Players losing focus and inconsistently giving best effort. The coach feeling the pressure and losing his cool with the media. The owner publicly announcing his concern with the coach (as if that’s going to be attractive to whoever this better coach is they could be eyeing). Fans absolutely losing their mind like the season’s over before the All-Star break. Clearly, this whole contender thing is new all-around.

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Yes, this stage is harder than everyone thought in this area. But that’s how it goes sometimes. This is the process. Sometimes the adjustments are in-game. Sometimes their in-season. Sometimes you have to go back to the drawing board. What’s important is how the Warriors’ respond. And the current tone of frustration and panic (mostly outside the locker room) is far more concerning than the struggles on the court.

LeBron is the textbook case for how difficult it is to become a champion. He endured seven years of Cleveland and many thought he still should have stuck it out. (How many years have the Warriors been at this? Two-plus?) Even when he got to Miami, he had to endure heartbreak and disappointment before figuring out what it took. And everyone who had given up on him, who had written him off because they were too focused on his limitations, look absolutely ridiculous now.

At this stage the Warriors are in, it’s not about what happened but what happens next. That’s a mindset.

There is enough blame to go around should the Warriors not make the playoffs. But if they don’t, what’s the recourse? Fire everybody? That’s not how it works in the big leagues. Panic and overreaction is what kills the process prematurely.

Remember when the Warriors missed the playoffs after We Believe? The response was to can the GM, blow up the roster, etc. Yeah, that worked.

The proper mentality is all hands on deck. To come closer and not further apart. To show more resolve, not to shift blame. To foster an environment of security, allowing people to focus on work, not filling the room with discomfort and panic.

Several things have not worked for the Warriors. A few not-so-minor but not-to0-major injuries. Some losses are proving huge (Jarrett Jack, Carl Landry). Some acquisitions aren’t filling the void (Speights, Toney Douglas). If the Warriors go on a second-half run, were the lessons learned from the disappointing run worth it? If they eke into the playoffs then march to the Western Conference Finals, was the disappointment during the regular season premature?

If the Warriors handle this stuff the way they’ve always handled, they’ll squander the opportunity here. Good teams make moves for long-term, not off knee-jerk reactions. Good teams practice patience and allow for development. Good teams foster hope and productivity, not fear and panic. The Western Conference is already tough enough.

I’m interested to see how the Warriors respond as a franchise. What’s done out of emotion and what’s done out of analysis and calculation? Can they stomach the trials and errors for the payoff of experience? Does everyone dig for another level, or do they start looking for scapegoats?

LeBron James gave Golden State a hard lesson Wednesday night. One he’s already learned: the road to glory is lined with potholes and gravel, If you can’t handle the bumps, you really aren’t ready to ride.

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Marcus Thompson

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This was a good article I hope that the front office doesn’t go and do something stupid mjax has mad winners out of this once piss poor organization but It seems like it is Un appreciated. he did in 3 seasons what it took other teams years to do and that’s make winners out of losers and dubs fans easily forget we were the bottom of the barrel 2 seasons ago 2 SEASONS not 5 or 6 but 2 and that say a lot about him as a coach I mean don’t get me wrong he does some questionable stuff at times but he still and new coach and he has to get his bumps so he can be better

PX

Sure he needs time to learn but shouldn’t he have done that already by taking an assistant coaching job before he started looking for a head coach position. That is what bugs many people. He and Jason Kidd felt entitled to get a head coach position without first putting in the time as an assistant coach to learn the actual function of the position. You can’t just expect to walk on and know what you are doing. Yes Doc Rivers is the exception. But in life, there always are exceptions to the rule and Jackson isn’t one of them.

corbin

Yeah but somethings you have to learn from experience and last night was a prime example of that. Don’t give up on mjax just yet he is the reason the warriors are getting the attention that they are getting now he changed the culture and there is proof of that is how much the dubs fan react wen they lose it used to be an o well mentality but it’s not anymore were not settling an that’s thanks to mjax

BayLife

Great piece. I think that is how a majority of the warriors fan base feels myself included. Some media and a small group of so called warrior fans keep saying Jax needs to go, unfortunately I think their calling for his head is based on his personal beliefs (believer) and then trying to mask it behind criticism of his coaching ability. I would say MJax right now is one of the top 10 coaches in the league. He has turned this team into a contender in less than 3 years, more impressively hes done it coming in having never coached at any level of basketball. That right there should tell you that this guy is special and has what it takes to be to be a great coach for along time. Coaching is more than just Xs and Os, MJax has that and that is something that can’t be taught.

Jeff

i’m more in between on his coaching. yes he’s a great motivator and the team will ride with him for as long as he’s here and stick by him. but can’t keep getting off to these bad starts where they get in a lull from the get go and the coach needs to motivate them better. yes, coaching is more than Xs and Os but i think it’s more the assistant coaches that need changing, than the head coach. Losing Mike Malone hurt. Replacing him with Brian Scalabrine and Lindsey Hunter makes it worse.

i wouldn’t call us a contender, and i think it’s more of the players we have had the past few years that have turned this franchise around more than the coach. with a starting lineup of Curry, Klay, Iguodala, Lee, and Bogut we SHOULD be in the playoffs. a lotta coaches would’ve been able to get to where we are with this lineup.